A Fine Place To Start
by samanddianefan10
Summary: Alt staircase scenario. Scarlett makes a choice that will forever change her relationship with Rhett. Can the news about the baby bring her the happiness that has evaded her for all of her life?


She was pregnant. She was going to have another child, Rhett's child. And the thought made her deliriously happy although she wasn't quite sure why. He was a scoundrel, a black-hearted pirate of a man, but he was hers, and the thought comforted her immensely. For some reason she found herself longing for him, his embrace, his kiss, and other stuff which a lady did not think about. But there was time for all of that later; all she could imagine was the million different ways in which she told him about this child.

This child. Rhett had often accused her, maybe rightly so, of not having a maternal bone in her body. But things would be different this time. Scarlett couldn't really explain why it was (she wasn't even self-aware to know that she lacked the self-awareness which would continue that thought) but everything was different with this child. There was only one Bonnie, but with this one maybe, just maybe, she could have the happiness that had been so far out of her reach throughout her life. There was one thing she did know that she had to do. It would be the hardest thing she had ever done in her life, believe it or not, but she knew she had to do it in order to start anew.

Rummaging throughout her precious belongings (how she loved her beautiful clothing!) Scarlett searched until finally she found the very valuable item that had once meant so much to her. It didn't have monetary value, but for so long it had meant the world to her. It had given her strength and courage and most of all, hope. There it was- the word she was looking for. Finally after all she had been through this baby had given her what Ashley Wilkes never could-hope. Dare she do this? Dare she do the unspeakable? And she didn't even care if Rhett knew- that was not why she did it. Taking a deep breath and after a moment of staring at it, she finally gathered her courage(of that she _was _not short of) and picked up the treasure and put it right where it belonged- the garbage.

And as if fate had decided to smile upon her, in through the door at that very moment walked in Rhett and Bonnie. Knocking at her room moments after she committed the one act that would save her was Bonnie.

"Mommy, mommy, we're home. Did you miss us Mommy?" a delighted Bonnie asked.

"More than you ever could know. Of course Mommy's happy to see her darling daughter. We… who else is here?"

"Daddy of course! Who else, silly?"

Scarlett giggled as well as her child had, and then she walked out of her room only to find a very dashing husband (was it possible that he was even more dashing than she had remembered?) staring at her.

"Rhett, you came back. What brought you back?"

"Scarlett, I came back because I realized that a child's place is with her mother, no matter what kind of mother she is. But do not fret- my stay here is only momentarily. I have come off to monitor my daughter's homecoming and then I shall be on my way. You have nothing to fear, my dear. You shan't have to tolerate this marriage for another second."

"Oh Rhett, you aren't staying?" Scarlett's smile turned upside down as she hadn't even thought about having Bonnie-or this baby-without Rhett.

"Try not to look so happy. You know that every time you frown a new wrinkle appears. And we can't have the belle of the county looking so haggard for her moment of freedom. After all, what would Ashley Wilkes think of your appearance if you should return to him an old hen?"

Scarlett stared at her husband, then turned to Bonnie. "Bonnie my angel, my beautiful angel, will you be a dear and go off to your room? Try to find Mammy and see if she will play with you."

"Yes, Mommy." As the child pranced down the staircase, both of her parents' eyes followed her.

Once Bonnie was safely out of sight, Scarlett turned her stare to Rhett. "Rhett, I would kindly appreciate it if you would not speak of such things in front of our children. I think that was a nasty thing to say, even though I have come to appreciate your saying these things."

"Scarlett, what are you talking about, children? Have you been hitting the bottle again? It shows in your figure. Why, you are getting as big as Mammy."

She turned around and folded her hands across her stomach instinctively, not wanting to tell Rhett the news that had made her so happy. Seeing her body language and Rhett was a smart one, he turned to her and asked.

"Do you have something you wish to tell me Scarlett?" 

"Never mind now. You can be on your merry way and leave all of us alone. Why, I could care less if I ever saw your face again. You can, you can go to the devil for all I care."

"Scarlett, I don't have time for your pettiness, and by the way, it is not attractive. Are you trying to tell me something or not?"

After Rhett grabbed her, turning her to face him, she still avoided eye contact with him. "Yes, Rhett, I am. I'm going to have another baby."

"I see. And should I be sending congratulations to the honorable Mr. Wilkes?"

Scarlett started to slap him but he grabbed her wrist. "How can you, how dare you! You know very well this child is yours. You remember that night- or were you too drunk to remember such an event?"

"I don't have many regrets in my life but that night is one of the few events in my life that I wish I could take back. For that I am truly sorry," Rhett bowed down in mock apologetic fashion.

"Oh Rhett! How can you say such a thing? Why , if it weren't for that night we wouldn't have…"

"Go on Scarlett. What were you saying?" he looked her in the eyes and willed her to continue.

"Why, we wouldn't have this child that I'm carrying. So before you go on speaking of things of which you have no knowledge it would be best if you made sure that your memory did not fail you."

"A child? We're having a child?" Despite his best efforts, Rhett could not contain the smile which came upon his face.

"Yes, Rhett. I'm having a baby. Your baby," she emphasized.

"I see. And how does Ashley feel about this?" Rhett responded coolly.

"Why does Ashley have to figure into this conversation? Why I'll have you know…" Scarlett ran back into her bedroom and slammed the door.

But that did not stop Rhett. Opening the door, he began to speak when his eyes gazed upon the trash receptacle which now contained the cracked photo of which had meant so much to his wife over the years.

"Why, Scarlett…" he paused, trying to take everything in. "Dare I say I might have been wrong about you- this time? I know you better than you know yourself and even I can say that you have taken me completely by surprise. Do you …do you want this child?"

"Yes, Rhett. I want this child. There, are you happy?"

Rhett grabbed her once again, this time pulling her in for a kiss that was a long time coming. Much to both of their surprise Scarlett did not protest. Even more surprising was the way that she wrapped her arms around his neck. Scarlett could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin and instantly she felt comforted, though she could not explain to herself why.

"Rhett, you're suffocating me," she laughed as she pushed him away.

"This child…is our child?" he repeated, wanting to hear from her own mouth the news which was by now beginning to sink in.

"Yes, Rhett, this is our child. This is your child, whether you want it or not."

"What I want is you. Until now I've never thought that I could have that…but it seems to me that the tides have turned. Do you know what a tide is?"

"Oh Rhett, don't tease me now. You know I hate you when you do that."

"No, my dear, I don't think that I know that you do. But nevermind that. Do you not see what this is? This is our chance, our time. What I need to know is…do you want me?"

"Rhett," she repeated. "Why do you insist on making things I'll regret?" 

"Are you saying that you regret this..this child? Because if you do I can promise you that I will disappear and you will never hear from me again. I need to know what you want."

"I do want this child. Heaven help me but I want you, too. I don't know what's come over me but yes, I do want us to begin our life again. There, are you happy?" As she pouted, her husband began to laugh in the way that always irritated her. "Are you making fun of me again? Because if you are I will never speak to you again."

"Oh, you will speak to me, and you will speak to me every morning. No more of this queen of the boudoir business. Do you understand me?"

"One step at a time, Rhett. For now we have our daughter and this…this baby. Isn't that a good place to start?"

He smiled before pulling her into an ardent embrace, wiping the hair from the sides of her face. "I'd say that yes, it's a damn fine place to start."

Finally, their lips met with no hesitation on either's part. When Scarlett had found out that she was pregnant, she thought her life had ended. Now, that Rhett had returned, she found out that it was just beginning after all.

The end


End file.
